The single-phase line communicationfilter(Q-LCF-064-1P) provides line-to-line filteringspecificallyfor IQ systems, but is not required for most systems and should not be specified in every design of residential systems. When needed,the line filter provides a reliable means to mitigate issues with site electrical noise should they arise andinterfere with communications. To minimize the cost of adding line filtering to a system, it makes sense to design the system so that a filter can be retrofitted into the system later with ease. Simply locatethe IQ Envoy and the IQ Microinverter circuits off a common sub panel. The IQ Combiner,IQ Combiner+ and IQ Combiner 3 areperfect for that purpose. If designing a system with a Q Aggregator, we recommend landing the Q Aggregator output circuit in a sub panel alongsidethe IQ Envoy so it does nothave to later be moved to the array side of a line filter, should that be added.
The single-phaseline communication filter may also be used to separate communication domains of sites that have multiple Envoys, or sites where a neighbor's home also has an Enphase Microinverter system. The PLC signals used for communicating between the IQ Envoy and the IQ Microinverters is fundamentally different from the PLC signals used with previous generation Enphase Microinverter systems. The IQ Micros use line-to-line communications, where previous generation Enphase Microinverter systems useline toneutral communications. For this reason, the IQ systems are not compatible with previous generation Enphase Microinverter systems. Enphase will continue to provide microinverter and Envoy products that are compatible with legacy systems, and line filtering may be used to isolate anEnphaseIQ Microinverter System froma previous generation Enphase Microinverter systems.
